Auction Pick of the Week: 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi

Six feet, four inches: That’s the height of actor Tom Selleck, who debuted in the CBS detective series Magnum, P.I. on December 11, 1980. Selleck was so tall that padding had to be removed from the driver’s seat cushion of his Ferrari 308 GTS so his head wouldn’t stick out of the top of the car during filming.

At 79, it’s unlikely Selleck could leap into his Ferrari the way he did through the show’s eight-year run. But for many of us who grew up during Magnum’s tenure in Hawaii, posters of his appropriately Rosso Corsa red Ferrari hung on our bedroom walls, forever imprinting the coolness of the Prancing Horse brand.

So you may be excused for a bit of primal blood-rush when you see this Auction Pick of the Week: A Euro-model 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi, finished, of course, in Rosso Corsa.

The Ferrari 308 GTB, designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, was first shown to substantial acclaim at the 1975 Paris Salon. It was a successor to the Dino, but it wore true Ferrari badges, and this example is powered by the comparatively durable 2.9-liter V-8 with the Bosch K Jetronic fuel injection, paired with the syncromesh five-speed manual transmission with a gated shifter.

By the end of 1977, Ferrari had added the 308 GTS model, which it called a Spider, but it was really a targa roof, with a vinyl-covered removable panel that could be stashed behind the seats. The GTS quickly outsold the fixed-roof GTB, and the design allowed owners to experience fresh-air motoring and still be able to lock up their 308 without having to deal with a soft top.

This particular car comes with multiple options, including fog lights,16-inch, five-spoke wheels with Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires, and air conditioning, which is currently inoperable. It’s a desirable Euro-market model, fitted with U.S.-spec bumpers and side marker lights. The car has an aftermarket Kenwood sound system.

Last August, the engine was the subject of a major timing belt and ignition service which also included a compressor conversion, full fluids change, and a new exhaust system.

Known imperfections are minor rock chips on the front bumper and spoiler, minor paint bubbles on the lower passenger-side door, and headrest leather that is “dry and creased.” The current owner says that he has found no evidence of rust.

This Ferrari is no trailer queen, with just under 80,000 miles showing on the odometer. “Every car I own, I drive, and I have great folks locally that help me make sure a car will do everything it was originally designed to do, and this car does exactly that,” says the owner. “I do not trust the cars that have not been driven, maintained and enjoyed.”

Want to relive those Magnum, P.I. dreams? Bidding ends Tuesday, April 16, at 3 p.m. ET.

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